oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第93章

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came　up　after　us；　might　poke　in　his　old　nose；　and　have　us　taken　
back　in　a　cart　with　handcuffs　on；”　said　Mr　Claypole；　in　a　jeering　
tone。　“No！　I　shall　go　and　lose　myself　among　the　narrowest　streets　I　
can　find；　and　not　stop　till　we　come　to　the　very　out…of…the…wayest　
house　I　can　set　eyes　on。　’Cod；　yer　may　thank　yer　stars　I’ve　got　a　
head；　for　if　we　hadn’t　gone；　at　first；　the　wrong　road　a　purpose；　and　
come　back　across　country；　yer’d　have　been　locked　up　hard　and　
fast　a　week　ago；　my　lady。　And　serve　yer　right　for　being　a　fool。”　

“I　know　I　ain’t　as　cunning　as　you　are；”　replied　Charlotte；　“but　
don’t　put　all　the　blame　on　me；　and　say　I　should　have　been　locked　
up。　You　would　have　been　if　I　had　been；　anyway。”　

“Yer　took　the　money　from　the　till；　yer　know　yer　did；”　said　Mr。　
Claypole。　

“I　took　it　for　you；　Noah　dear；”　rejoined　Charlotte。　

“Did　I　keep　it？”　asked　Mr。　Claypole。　

“No；　you　trusted　in　me；　and　let　me　carry　it　like　a　dear；　and　so　

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you　are；”　said　the　lady；　chucking　him　under　the　chin；　and　drawing　
her　arm　through　his。　

This　was　indeed　the　case；　but　as　it　was　not　Mr。　Claypole’s　habit　
to　repose　a　blind　and　foolish　confidence　in　anybody；　it　should　be　
observed；　in　justice　to　that　gentleman；　that　he　had　trusted　
Charlotte　to　this　extent；　in　order　that；　if　they　were　pursued；　the　
money　might　be　found　on　her；　which　would　leave　him　an　
opportunity　of　asserting　his　innocence　of　any　theft；　and　would　
greatly　facilitate　his　chances　of　escape。　Of　course；　he　entered　at　
this　juncture　into　no　explanation　of　his　motives；　and　they　walked　
on　very　leisurely　together。　

In　pursuance　of　this　cautious　plan；　Mr。　Claypole　went　on；　
without　halting；　until　he　arrived　at　the　Angel　at　Islington；　where　
he　wisely　judged；　from　the　crowd　of　passengers　and　number　of　
vehicles；　that　London　began　in　earnest。　Just　pausing　to　observe　
which　appeared　the　most　crowded　streets；　and　consequently　the　
most　to　be　avoided；　he　crossed　into　St。　John’s　Road；　and　was　soon　
deep　in　the　obscurity　of　the　intricate　and　dirty　ways；　which；　lying　
between　Gray’s　Inn　Lane　and　Smithfield；　render　that　part　of　the　
town　one　of　the　lowest　and　worst　that　improvement　has　left　in　the　
midst　of　London。　

Through　these　streets；　Noah　Claypole　walked；　dragging　
Charlotte　after　him；　now　stepping　into　the　kennel　to　embrace　at　a　
glance　the　whole　external　character　of　some　small　public…house；　
and　now　jogging　on　again；　as　some　fancied　appearance　induced　
him　to　believe　it　too　public　for　his　purpose。　At　length；　he　stopped　
in　front　of　one；　more　humble　in　appearance　and　more　dirty　than　
any　he　had　yet　seen；　and；　having　crossed　over　and　surveyed　it　
from　the　opposite　pavement；　graciously　announced　his　intention　

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of　putting　up　there；　for　the　night。　

“So　give　us　the　bundle；”　said　Noah；　unstrapping　it　from　the　
woman’s　shoulders；　and　slinging　it　over　his　own；　“and　don’t　yer　
speak；　except　when　yer　spoke　to。　What’s　the　name　of　the　house—th…r—three　what？”　

“Cripples；”　said　Charlotte。　

“Three　Cripples；”　repeated　Noah；　“and　a　very　good　sign　too。　
Now；　then！　Keep　close　at　my　heels；　and　come　along。”　With　these　
injunctions；　he　pushed　the　rattling　door　with　his　shoulder；　and　
entered　the　house；　followed　by　his　companion。　

There　was　nobody　in　the　bar　but　a　young　Jew；　who；　with　his　
two　elbows　on　the　counter；　was　reading　a　dirty　newspaper。　He　
stared　very　hard　at　Noah；　and　Noah　stared　very　hard　at　him。　

If　Noah　had　been　attired　in　his　charity…boy’s　dress；　there　might　
have　been　some　reason　for　the　Jew　opening　his　eyes　so　wide；　but　
as　he　had　discarded　the　coat　and　badge；　and　wore　a　short　smock…
frock　over　his　leathers；　there　seemed　no　particular　reason　for　his　
appearance　exciting　so　much　attention　in　a　public…house。　

“Is　this　the　Three　Cripples？”　asked　Noah。　

“That　is　the　dabe　of　this　’ouse；”　replied　the　Jew。　

“A　gentleman　we　met　on　the　road；　coming　up　from　the　country；　
recommended　us　here；”　said　Noah；　nudging　Charlotte；　perhaps　to　
call　her　attention　to　this　most　ingenious　device　for　attracting　
respect；　and　perhaps　to　warn　her　to　betray　no　surprise。　“We　want　
to　sleep　here　tonight。”　

“I’b　dot　certaid　you　cad；”　said　Barney；　who　was　the　attendant　
sprite；　“but　I’ll　idquire。”　

“Show　us　the　tap；　and　give　us　a　bit　of　cold　meat　and　a　drop　of　
beer　while　yer　inquiring；　will　yer？”　said　Noah。　Barney　complied　

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by　ushering　them　into　a　small　back　room；　and　setting　the　required　
viands　before　them；　having　done　which；　he　informed　the　travellers　
that　they　could　be　lodged　that　night；　and　left　the　amiable　couple　to　
their　refreshment。　

Now；　this　back　room　was　immediately　behind　the　bar；　and　
some　steps　lower；　so　that　any　person　connected　with　the　house；　
undrawing　a　small　curtain　which　concealed　a　single　pane　of　glass　
fixed　in　the　wall　of　the　last…named　apartment；　about　five　feet　from　
its　flooring；　could　not　only　look　down　upon　any　guests　in　the　back　
room　without　any　great　hazard　of　being　observed　（the　glass　being　
in　a　dark　angle　of　the　wall；　between　which　and　a　large　upright　
beam　the　observer　had　to　thrust　himself）；　but　could；　by　applying　
his　ear　to　the　partition；　ascertain　with　tolerable　distinctness；　their　
subject　of　conversation。　The　landlord　of　the　house　had　not　
withdrawn　his　eye　from　this　place　of　espial　for　five　minutes；　and　
Barney　had　only　just　returned　from　making　the　communication　
above　related；　when　Fagin；　in　the　course　of　his　evening’s　business；　
came　into　the　bar　to　inquire　after　some　of　his　young　pupils。　

“Hush！”　said　Barney；　“stradegers　id　the　next　roob。”　

“Strangers！”　repeated　the　old　man　in　a　whisper。　

“Ah！　Ad　rud　uds　too；”　added　Barney。　“Frob　the　cuttry；　but　
subthig　in　your　way；　or　I’b　bistaked。”　

Fagin　appeared　to　receive　this　communication　with　great　
interest。　Mounting　a　stool；　he　cautiously　applied　his　eye　to　the　
pane　of　glass；　from　which　secret　post　he　could　see　Mr。　Claypole　
taking　cold　beef　from　the　dish；　and　porter　from　the　pot；　and　
administering　homeopathic　doses　of　both　to　Charlotte；　who　sat　
patiently　by；　eating　and　drinking　at　his　pleasure。　

“Aha！”　he　whispered；　looking　round　to　Barney；　“I　like　that　

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fellow’s　looks。　He’d　be　of　use　to　us；　he　knows　how　to　train　the　girl　
already。　Don’t　make　as　much　noise　as　a　mouse；　my　dear；　and　let　
me　hear　’em　talk—let　me　hear　’em。”　

He　again　applied　his　eye　to　the　glass；　and　turning　his　ear　to　the　
partition；　listened　attentively；　with　a　subtle　and　eager　look　upon　
his　face；　that　might　have　appertained　to　some　old　goblin。　

“So　I　mean　to　be　a　gentleman；”　said　Mr。　Claypole；　kicking　out　
his　legs；　and　continuing　a　conversation；　the　commencement　of　
which　Fagin　had　arrived　too　late　to　hear。　“No　more　jolly　old　
coffins；　Charlotte；　but　a　gentleman’s　life　for　me；　and；　if　yer　like；　yer　
shall　be　a　lady。”　

“I　should　like　that　well　enough；　dear；”　replied　Charlotte；　“but　
tills　ain’t　to　be　emptied　every　day；　and　people　to　get　clear　off　after　
it。”　

“Tills　be　blowed！”　said　Mr。　Claypole；　“there’s　more　things　
besides　tills　to　be　emptied。”　

“What　do　you　mean？”　asked　his　companion。　

“Pockets；　women’s　ridicules；　houses；　mail…coaches；　banks！”　said　
Mr。　Claypole；　rising　with　the　porter。　

“But　you　can’t　do　all　that；　dear；”　said　Charlotte。　

“I　shall　look　out　to　get　into　company　with　them　as　can；”　replied　
Noah。　“They’ll　be　able　to　make　us　useful　some　way　or　another。　
Why；　you　yourself　are　worth　fifty　women；　I　never　see　such　a　
precious　sly　and　deceitful　creetur　as　yer　can　be　when　I　let　yer。”　

“Lor；　how　nice　it　is　to　hear　you　say　so！”　exclaimed　Charlotte；　
imprinting　a　kiss　on　his　ugly　face。　

“There；　that’ll　do；　don’t　yer　be　too　affectionate；　in　case　I’m　cross　
with　yer；”　said　Noah；　disengaging　himself　with　great　gravity。　“I　
should　like　to　be　the　captain　of　some　band；　and　have　the　whopping　

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